Occupational Therapy University Interview Questions

There are many different questions you may be asked at your Occupational Therapy university interview, so we've provided a comprehensive list of those commonly asked by nursing admissions tutors at UK universities.

As well as the example questions below, you can find further help in our University Interviews Guide.

Background & motivation

  • Tell us about yourself.
  • Talk us through your personal statement.
  • Why do you want to study Occupational Therapy?
  • Why did you apply to this university?
  • What have you done to prepare yourself for a career in OT?
  • What strengths do you have that will help you deal with all the work involved?
  • Why do you want to be an Occupational Therapist, rather than another profession that is caring such as a nurse or doctor?
  • What is an Occupational Therapist?
  • What interests you most about Occupational Therapy and why?
  • What are you looking forward to most about becoming an Occupational Therapist?
  • What contribution do you hope to make to the field?
  • How do you think Occupational Therapy differs from other health professions?
  • What attracts to this particular profession?
  • If you were to become an Occupational Therapist, how would you like your patients to describe you and why?
  • How do you know whether you really do want to become an Occupational Therapist?
  • Do you have any life experiences that you think may help your career in Occupational Therapy?
  • What do you feel are the 3 most important skills to become an Occupational Therapist?
  • Do you possess all of these? If so, what examples can you give to demonstrate this?
  • What qualities do you think make a good Occupational Therapist?
  • Discuss a time when you had to convey an important message to someone - describe how you did this and what the end result was.
  • How do you cope with stress?
  • How do you manage your time?

Knowledge & work experience

  • What do you know about the Council of Occupational Therapists for European Countries?
  • What is the role of an Occupational Therapist?
  • What is the most demanding aspect of the study programme, and how would you overcome this?
  • What can you tell me about the Nursing Code of Practice?
  • If you had £1 million to spend on Occupational Therapy, what would you spend it on and why?
  • Where does Occupational Therapy take place?
  • What do you know about current Occupational Therapy issues in the media?
  • What challenges affect Occupational Therapy in the UK?
  • What might a typical day involve for an Occupational Therapist?
  • What work experience do you have that is relevant to Occupational Therapy?
  • What skills did you learn from it?
  • Were there any aspects of your work experience you didn't enjoy?

Empathy & patient care

  • Give an example of a situation where you have supported a friend in a difficult social circumstance. What issues did they face and how did you help them?
  • What does the word empathy mean to you. How do you differentiate empathy from sympathy?
  • Is it right for Occupational Therapists to 'feel for their patients'?
  • How do Occupational Therapists sometimes react negatively to stress?

Teamwork & communication

  • Why is communication vital in Occupational Therapy?
  • Give us an example of when you worked as part of a team?
  • Can you think of a team situation where your communication skills have been essential? Tell us more about the situation and how you contributed.
  • Tell us about a group activity you have organised. What went well and what went badly? What did you learn from it?
  • What have you learned about yourself and successful team-working?
  • Who do you think will be the most important people you will work with as an Occupational Therapist?
  • Describe a time when you had to lead a team of people?
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of being in a team? Do you believe teams need leaders?
  • Do you think humour can help a team? Give an example.

Career plans & your future

  • Do you have any career aspirations?
  • How will university benefit your future?
  • Where do you see yourself in 10 years' time?
  • If you had to take a gap year, what would you do?

Further information

For more tips and advice on university interviews, please see: